The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device, and more particularly to a semiconductor device having improved reliability and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device.
Patterns included in a semiconductor device may be formed by etching an insulating layer to form a recess region and filling the recess region with a conductive layer. In this case, the insulating layer may have a thickness sufficient to fill spaces between lower patterns formed on a semiconductor substrate. However, if a distance between the lower patterns is to small for the high-integration of the semiconductor device, then a void may be generated within the insulating layer filled in the spaces between the lower patterns. The void may cause defects in the semiconductor device.
Hereinafter, a problem in the conventional art will be described in more detail, using, as an example, a process of forming a plurality of contact plugs that are spaced apart from each other.
In order to form the plurality of contact plugs, an insulating layer is formed on a semiconductor substrate including a junction region and gate patterns. The gate patterns are formed on the semiconductor substrate. The junction region is formed within the semiconductor substrate between the gate patterns. The insulating layer has a thickness sufficient to fill spaces between the gate patterns, so as to cover the gate patterns.
Subsequently, a plurality of contact holes are formed by etching the insulating layer between the gate patterns so that the contact holes may be spaced apart. The junction regions are exposed through the contact holes. The contact holes may be etched a direction perpendicular to an upper surface of the semiconductor substrate. When a void exists within the insulating layer, a connection problem may be generated between the adjacent contact holes due to the void. Accordingly, when the contact plugs are formed by filling the contact holes with a conductive layer, in a subsequent process, the void will also filled with the conductive layer. Thus, a physical or electrical connection problem between the adjacent contact plugs may result.
In order to correct the aforementioned concerns, various methods have been proposed. However these proposed methods may cause additional concerns, so that reliability of a semiconductor device using these methods may be deteriorated.